Magnetic earphones holder

Abstract

A set of headphones and audio system comprises a first set of buttons for controlling a volume level of transmitted audio to the headphones and a second set of buttons for controlling a volume level of external audio played by the headphones. The transmitted audio comprises audio received from an audio source such as an electronic device and the external audio comprises surrounding ambient noise received by a microphone coupled to the headphones. With the first set of controls and the second set of controls a user is able to adjust the volume level of the transmitted audio and the volume level of the external audio in order to listen to the transmitted audio while still interacting with the surrounding environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An audio system comprising:
 a. a first earphone comprising a first magnet; 
 b. a second earphone comprising a second magnet for removably coupling with the first magnet; and 
 c. a device controller coupled to the first earphone and the second earphone, wherein the device controller receives an activation signal when a decoupling of the first magnet and the second magnet is detected, wherein the activation signal enables audio to be played at the first earphone and the second earphone, further wherein the device controller receives a deactivation signal when the first magnet and the second magnet are again coupled, wherein the deactivation signal enables the audio to be terminated at the first earphone and the second earphone. 
 
     
     
       2. The audio system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a. a first set of controls for controlling the audio played at the first and the second earphone; and 
 b. a second set of controls for controlling external audio played at the first and the second earphone. 
 
     
     
       3. The audio system of  claim 2 , wherein the external audio comprises surrounding ambient noise received from a microphone. 
     
     
       4. The audio system of  claim 3 , wherein the second set of controls control the volume level of ambient noise played by the earphones. 
     
     
       5. The audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the audio played at the first and the second earphone comprises audio received from an electronic device. 
     
     
       6. The audio system of  claim 1 , further comprising a noise canceling element. 
     
     
       7. The audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the activation signal enables an incoming call to an electronic device to be answered and connected and further wherein the audio played at the first and the second earphone comprises audio for the call. 
     
     
       8. The audio system of  claim 7 , wherein the deactivation signal enables an ongoing call through the electronic device to be terminated. 
     
     
       9. The audio system of  claim 1 , wherein the activation signal is sent wirelessly. 
     
     
       10. An audio system comprising:
 a. a first earphone comprising a first magnet; 
 b. a second earphone comprising a second magnet for removably coupling to the first magnet of the first earphone; and 
 c. a device controller coupled to the first earphone and the second earphone, wherein the device controller receives an activation signal when the second magnet is removed and decoupled from the first magnet, wherein the activation signal enables audio to be played at the first earphone and the second earphone, wherein the device controller receives a deactivation signal when the second magnet is again coupled to the first magnet, wherein the deactivation signal enables the audio to be terminated at the first earphone and the second earphone. 
 
     
     
       11. The audio system of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a. a first set of controls for controlling the audio played at the first and the second earphone; and 
 b. a second set of controls for controlling external audio played at the first and the second earphone. 
 
     
     
       12. The audio system of  claim 11 , wherein the external audio comprises surrounding ambient noise received from a microphone. 
     
     
       13. The audio system of  claim 12 , wherein the second set of controls control the volume level of ambient noise played by the earphones. 
     
     
       14. The audio system of  claim 10 , further comprising a noise canceling element. 
     
     
       15. The audio system of  claim 10 , wherein the activation signal enables an incoming call to an electronic device to be answered and connected and further wherein the audio played at the first and the second earphone comprises audio for the call. 
     
     
       16. The audio system of  claim 15 , wherein the deactivation signal enables an ongoing call through the electronic device to be terminated. 
     
     
       17. The audio system of  claim 10 , wherein the activation signal is sent wirelessly. 
     
     
       18. A method of operating an electronic device comprising:
 a. detecting an engagement status of a first magnet of a first earphone with a second magnet of a second earphone; 
 b. sending an activation signal to a device controller of the electronic device when the first magnet is removed and decoupled from the second magnet, wherein the activation signal enables audio to be played at the first earphone and the second earphone, the device controller coupled to the first earphone and the second earphone; and 
 c. sending a deactivation signal to the device controller of the electronic device when the first magnet is again coupled to the second magnet, wherein the deactivation signal enables the audio to be terminated at the first earphone and the second earphone. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a. operating the electronic device based upon the engagement status of the first magnet with the second magnet; and 
 b. receiving transmitted the audio from the electronic device. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a. receiving external audio from a microphone; and 
 b. adjusting a volume level in the first earphone and the second earphone of one of the audio played at the first and the second earphone and the external audio. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the external audio comprises surround ambient noise received from a microphone. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising canceling outside noise from being played by the first earphone and the second earphone. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the activation signal enables an incoming call to an electronic device to be answered and connected and further wherein the audio played at the first and the second earphone comprises audio for the call. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the deactivation signal enables an ongoing call through the electronic device to be terminated. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the activation signal is sent wirelessly. 
     
     
       26. A method of operating an electronic device comprising:
 a. detecting an engagement status of a first magnet of a first earphone with a second magnet of a second earphone; 
 b. sending an activation signal to a device controller of the electronic device when the first magnet is removed and decoupled from the second magnet, wherein the activation signal enables audio to be played at the first earphone and the second earphone, wherein the device controller is coupled to the first earphone and the second earphone; 
 c. sending a deactivation signal to the device controller of the electronic device when the first magnet is again coupled to the second magnet, wherein the deactivation signal enables the audio to be terminated at the first earphone and the second earphone; and 
 d. operating the device based upon the engagement status of the first earphone with the second earphone. 
 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 a. operating the device based upon the engagement status of the first magnet with the second magnet; and 
 b. receiving the audio from the electronic device. 
 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 a. receiving external audio from a microphone; and 
 b. adjusting a volume level in the first earphone and the second earphone of one of the audio played at the first earphone and the second earphone and the external audio. 
 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 28 , wherein the external audio comprises surround ambient noise received from a microphone. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 26 , further comprising canceling outside noise from being played by the first earphone and the second earphone. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 26 , wherein the activation signal enables an incoming call to an electronic device to be answered and connected and further wherein the audio played at the first earphone and the second earphone comprises audio for the call. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 31 , wherein the deactivation signal enables an ongoing call through the electronic device to be terminated. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 26 , wherein the activation signal is sent wirelessly. 
     
     
       34. An audio system comprising:
 a. a set of headphones comprising;
 i. a first headphone comprising a first magnet; 
 ii. a second headphone comprising a second magnet for removably coupling with the first magnet; and 
 iii. a headphones controller coupled to the first headphone and the second headphone, wherein the headphones controller receives an activation signal when a decoupling of the first magnet and the second magnet is detected, wherein the activation signal enables one or more of transmitted audio and external audio to be played at the first headphone and the second headphone; 
 
 b. a first set of controls for controlling a volume of the transmitted audio played through the headphones; and 
 c. a second set of controls for separately controlling a volume of the external audio played through the headphones. 
 
     
     
       35. The audio system of  claim 34 , wherein the headphones controller, the first set of controls and the second set of controls are a component of the headphones. 
     
     
       36. The audio system of  claim 34 , wherein the first set of controls comprises a first set of buttons and the second set of controls comprises a second set of buttons. 
     
     
       37. The audio system of  claim 34 , wherein the audio played at the first headphone and the second headphone comprises audio received from an electronic device. 
     
     
       38. The audio system of  claim 34 , wherein the external audio comprises surrounding ambient noise. 
     
     
       39. The audio system of  claim 38 , wherein the ambient noise is received from a microphone. 
     
     
       40. The audio system of  claim 38 , wherein the second set of controls control the volume level of ambient noise received through the headphones. 
     
     
       41. The audio system of  claim 34 , wherein the audio system comprises a noise canceling element. 
     
     
       42. A set of headphones comprising:
 a. a first earphone comprising a first magnet and a first set of controls at the first earphone; 
 b. a second earphone comprising a second magnet for removably coupling with the first magnet and a second set of controls at the second earphone; 
 c. a device controller coupled to the first earphone and the second earphone, wherein the device controller receives an activation signal when a decoupling of the first magnet and the second magnet is detected, wherein the activation signal enables one or more of transmitted audio and external audio to be played at the first earphone and the second earphone; 
 d. the first set of controls sends a signal to a transmitted audio adjustment circuit of the first earphone for controlling a volume of the transmitted audio played through the headphones; and 
 e. the second set of controls sends a signal to an external audio adjustment circuit of the second earphone for separately controlling a volume of the external audio played through the headphones. 
 
     
     
       43. The set of headphones of  claim 42 , wherein the first set of controls comprises a first set of buttons and the second set of controls comprises a second set of buttons. 
     
     
       44. The set of headphones of  claim 42 , wherein the first set of controls and the second set of controls are a component of the headphones. 
     
     
       45. The set of headphones of  claim 42 , wherein the external audio comprises surrounding ambient noise. 
     
     
       46. The set of headphones of  claim 45 , wherein the ambient noise is received from a microphone. 
     
     
       47. The set of headphones of  claim 42 , wherein the headphones comprise a noise canceling element. 
     
     
       48. The audio system of  claim 34 , further wherein the headphones controller receives a deactivation signal when the first magnet and the second magnet are again coupled, wherein the deactivation signal enables the audio to be terminated at the first headphone and the second headphone. 
     
     
       49. The set of headphones of  claim 42 , further wherein the device controller receives a deactivation signal when the first magnet and the second magnet are again coupled, wherein the deactivation signal enables the audio to be terminated at the first earphone and the second earphone.